Marina Renter First to Seek Mediation

A Marina del Rey woman who received a 21% rent increase, from $806 to $980, has become the first person in Los Angeles County to file for a special landlord-tenant mediation service.

Although Gwen Wegeforth is fighting the rent increase on her one-bedroom Marina City Club apartment, most other tenants have not used the service.

Only one other renter in the county has applied for the landlord-tenant mediation service since removal of rent controls began in unincorporated areas Jan. 1.

Rent controls will be removed from an estimated 15,700 units this year, including 1,700 in the marina and an unknown number in Malibu. Rent increases were limited to 9% a year under the county’s 6-year-old rent control law.

By a vote of the Board of Supervisors, rent control expires this year on the anniversary date of each tenant’s lease.

To ease the transition to uncontrolled rents, the county set up the mediation service. A mediator will oversee meetings between tenant and landlord but does not have power to force a settlement. Landlords must attend the sessions even if they have no intention of limiting rent increases.

Renters must file for mediation within 10 days after they receive rent increase notice. A $20 fee is required. Recorded information on mediation is available at 738-2586, and information on how to get filing forms is available at 520-9022.